Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

vicmz · Joined: 15 Jan 2012 Posts: 1268

Hello everyone,
I have an old pentium 4 PC with CD drive, 1GB RAM and no hard drive, I usually boot OK from live CD but now the computer refuses to boot Puppy, it detects USB drives but does not detect the CD inserted. I tried setting the BIOS again, selecting boot device manually, and the screen shows this message: "Reboot computer and set boot device, or select boot device and press a key." No results. Am I doing something wrong?

rcrsn51

vicmz · Joined: 15 Jan 2012 Posts: 1268

Yes, my sister's computer runs Puppy just fine and it has a hard drive with Windowz installed. It is a pentium 4, too, but not real old.

Flash · Posted: Thu 27 Sep 2012, 22:46 Post subject:

I'd say your CD drive died. How do you feel about opening up your computer and replacing it? It's always pretty easy to do--once you've figured out how. Laughing

Usually the only tool required is a #2 Phillips screwdriver. Of course, you want to find a working CD (or better yet, DVD) burner to replace it with. And the replacement has to use the same connection, either EIDE or SATA. You'll have to take the cover off the computer to see what's in there now.

vicmz · Joined: 15 Jan 2012 Posts: 1268

Yeah, I'm looking for a working CD drive now, and while I find it, I'm also doing my first attempts to install to a flash drive. I can't get to boot from USB, the screen says "boot error". I can't post more info right now, I'm posting from my phone, but any tips on the USB install department are much appreciated.

`f00 · Posted: Fri 28 Sep 2012, 10:56 Post subject: Subject description: usb boot

hi vicmz

On some vintage computers (like my 12 year old p3 desktop), usb boot is not an option - check the BIOS to see if the option is available.

On replacing the optical drive - like Flash says it's fairly simple, I'd recommend also taking antistatic precautions when the case is open (like a clip-on wrist strap for grounding yourself to the chassis) .. better safe than sorry Wink

starhawk · Posted: Fri 28 Sep 2012, 11:27 Post subject:

As long as you're working with one hand on the chassis, you don't really need a wrist-strap.

Even that is usually unnecessary -- I rarely bother with any antistatic protection (other than not working on the carpet) and I've yet to have trouble. I'm a hardware person, to boot -- it's what I do.

Antistatic protection is rather overrated.

vicmz · Joined: 15 Jan 2012 Posts: 1268

Les Kerf · Joined: 24 Jun 2012 Posts: 314

Try Grub4Dos rather than Grub on your flash drive. It worked for me.
Les

Karl Godt · Joined: 20 Jun 2010 Posts: 4208 Location: Kiel,Germany

Flash · Posted: Fri 28 Sep 2012, 16:27 Post subject:

Also, format the flash drive as ext3 or maybe 2. I think Puppy doesn't boot so well from ext4.

Karl Godt · Joined: 20 Jun 2010 Posts: 4208 Location: Kiel,Germany

vicmz · Joined: 15 Jan 2012 Posts: 1268

I finally managed to replace my CD drive with a nice DVD burner and boot Puppy from DVD, I'm posting this from Puppy on my machine right now. My family can't believe my computer works without a hard drive! Laughing

I'll keep on practising my USB-direct install skills, just in case.
Thank you so much for your help. Very Happy

cthisbear · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 4273 Location: Sydney Australia

vicmz:

Great result mate.

Personally I use Hirens' boot cd to boot USB.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1801436

Chris.